2021 Skoda Octavia Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 25.99 Lakh

Skoda has launched the new fourth-generation Octavia in India at a starting price of Rs. 25.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and is offering it in two variants - the base Style trim and the range topping Laurin & Klement (L&K) variant which is priced at Rs. 28.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The Skoda Octavia has always been a segment leader in the executive sedan segment, managing a very fine balance between comfort and driving experience. We recently drove the 2021 Skoda Octavia and it continues to be a car that is put together very well, set to give a tough competition to the Hyundai Elantra which is its only rival in the market for now.

Also Read: 2021 Skoda Octavia Review

Exterior

The new-gen Skoda Octavia is longer and wider than the outgoing model.

The Skoda Octavia has evolved gracefully over generations without actually losing its original design. The new generation model is a step-up over the outgoing one but it's still easily identifiable as an Octavia, again courtesy its profile silhouette.

The sloping roofline has been one of the most adorable design elements of the Skoda Octavia.

The front end and rear have changed boasting the new protruding Skoda grille flanked by sleeker LED headlights and down there is a reworked bumper. The bonnet too looks more chiselled now and there is a set of new 17-inch alloy wheels called Pulsar Black in Skoda's speak.

The new Octavia is longer by 20 mm and wider by 19 mm.

The rear too looks sharper with sleeker wraparound taillights and angular character lines, and of course there is the new wide Skoda lettering seen on all new models from the Czech carmaker. The new Octavia is longer by 20 mm and wider by 19 mm, while the height remains unchanged. The wheelbase stands at 2680 mm which is 2 mm shorter than the outgoing model.

Interior

The cabin is plush with quality levels matching that of the entry-level German luxury cars. The seats and dashboard is upholstered in suede leather as standard.

It's the cabin of the 2021 Skoda Octavia that looks more new and premium to look at compared to its predecessor and more than the design, it's the finesse and quality of materials add to its appeal. Black and beige dual-tone colour theme continues to dominate the cabin and seats are draped in suede leather. Skoda has also used wood inlays, suede leather and brushed chrome very minimally and tastefully across the cabin. Like other carmakers, standalone tablet touchscreen infotainment system has caught Skoda's fancy as well and it takes centre stage on the Octavia. The dashboard is all new too and air-con vents on the central console have moved down with switch knobs placed atop and there's the new touch sensitive bar to operate volume levels of the stereo. Then, it also gets a new two-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel. One of the biggest strengths of this notchback has been its boot space measuring at 600 litres with all seats up and can be extended to a cavernous 1555 litres by flip folding the second-row seats.

Features

The new-generation Octavia offers a largely digital cabin experience with the Virtual Cockpit and the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment unit. Both are rich in graphics & information and intuitive to use

Like before, the new Skoda Octavia is loaded to the brim with latest and segment standard creature comforts that you expect in this segment. To begin with, the new 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system we spoke about earlier supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there is a customisable Virtual Cockpit system and the range-topping L&K trim gets wireless charging and a 600 watts 12-speaker Canton audio system. Other features include a dual-zone climate control comes with rear AC vents, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, Type-C charging at the front and rear and in the rear view mirror to install a dash cam. That said, it misses out on few features like a sunroof or ventilated seats which buyers in this segment would prefer.

Engine

The new-gen Octavia's suspension has been tuned for comfort and the car handles bad roads with more ease than before. But this does bring a certain softness to the driving dynamics

The 2021 Skoda Octavia is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TSI turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 188 bhp between 4180 rpm and 6000 rpm and a peak torque of 320 Nm between 1500 rpm and 3990 rpm. The engine is paired with the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission as standard and comes along with paddle shifters. It helps clocking triple-digit speeds in 6.9 seconds, while the ARAI claimed fuel economy is 15.81 kmpl.

Safety

The new Octavia gets a sharp styling with that strong shoulder line and the razor-sharp boot accentuated the looks.

Coming to the safety department, there are a total of eight airbags in the new Skoda Octavia and other features include multi-collision brake, fatigue alert, and electronic aids including ABS, ESC, EBD, ASR, and Electronic Differential Lock (EDS) as standard. Features like adaptive lights, the very convenient Park Assist and TPMS are also specific to the L&K trim. Skoda has also added the 'MySkoda Connect' app that brings geo-fencing, driving behaviour , trip analysis, and more. It will connect you with emergency services or roadside assistance if the car senses an accident.